Diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli associated with childhood diarrhoea in Osun state, Nigeria

Abstract Introduction Diarrhoea is a major public health concern in developing countries, usually exacerbated by poor water, sanitation and hygiene but its aetiology is under-studied, particularly away from capital cities. We identified diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli (DEC) from stools collected in Ile-Ife and Ilesa, Osun state, Nigeria and determined their antibiotic resistance profiles. Methods Stool samples from 167 children with diarrhoea and 334 controls under the age of 5 years were cultured for Escherichia coli and Salmonella . Bacterial isolates were identified biochemically and DEC were identified by PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was by modified Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method in accordance with the CLSI guidelines. Data were analyzed using Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Result Diarrhoea infection is significantly high among children under 12 months ( p =  0.002), caregivers without at least primary school education ( p =  0.006), breastfeeding for under 6 months ( p ˂0.001), and caregivers who were siblings ( p =  0.004). DEC was detected in 69(41.3%) cases but only 86(25.7%) controls ( p <  0.001) and more commonly recovered during the wet season ( p <  0.001). Enterotoxigenic E. coli ( p =  0.031), enteropathogenic E. coli ( p =  0.031) and Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli ( p =  0.044) were recovered more commonly from cases than controls. DEC from patients with diarrhoea were commonly resistant to sulphonamides (91.3%), trimethoprim (82.6%), and ampicillin (78.3%) but were largely susceptible to quinolones and carbapenems (97.1%). Conclusion Enteropathogenic, enterotoxigenic and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli are associated with diarrhoea in our setting, and show considerable resistance to first-line antimicrobials. Risk factors for DEC diarrhoea include infancy, inadequate breastfeeding and caregivers with education below primary school.